Be Kind
Ephesians 4:32 ESV “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
Today, I will be talking about something very simple and practical to apply this week as you go through life. Oftentimes we find ourselves in situations at work, home, grocery stores, or even restaurants where we have a choice to make concerning how we respond to stressful situations. Maybe a co-worker or family member has challenged us or said something negative to us.
Let’s start with the easy choice… You could confront the person who is coming against you and even feel justified in doing so. After all, they “started it.” It would even be easy to complain to others about that person, and explain all the ways you “were right.” Now, you have more people on your “side” which further justifies your response to the person. Again, this is the easy choice.
Now, let’s move on to the difficult choice. Choosing to respond with kindness, forgiveness and tenderness. Paul instructs the Ephesians to do just that (which is imitating the forgiveness of God in Christ). So how do you practically do this? Next time you are in a situation where you are given the choice to respond to an attack, I would encourage you to pause, take a deep breath and CONSIDER. This consideration will only take a moment, but it is vital to your response. Sometimes, when we pause and consider, we are less likely to react in the “heat of the moment.”
Practice doing this in your week and take note of the outcomes. Write them down in a journal, so you can remember your response in different situations. I contend that you will be happier and less stressed. Have a great week!